Calculating devices



May 28, 1957 Filed July 22, 1955 S. G. CROWE CALCULATING DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet l I n ventor Attorney;

May 28, 1957 s. G. CROWE CALCULATING DEVICES Filed July 22, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 22 Inventor 4s a. By

A Home y s May 28, 1957 s. G. cRowE CALCULATING DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 22, 1955 Attorneys May 28, 1957 s. G. CROWE CALCULATING DEVICES Filed July 22, 1955* 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JAN u A KY MA no! N A Y JULY AUGUST ocvonil.

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lnvenlqr 6.6 CROW; [444.6 fad I I BY @224 7 4 721! A ttomeys United States Patent CALCULATING DEVICES Stanley George Crowe, Milton-on-Stour, Gillingham, Dorset, England Application July 22, 1955, Serial No. 523,843

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 28, 1954 7 Claims. (Cl. 235-88) This invention relates'to calculating devices, and more particularly to a device for calculating the only time in any given menstrual cycle during which conception is normally possible (for convenience this time may hereinafter be referred to as the conceivable time).

The chief object of the invention is to indicate clearly that time without demanding any calculations by the user of the device.

The construction and operation of the device is based on the theory accepted by the great majority of physiologists that:

(a) The period between the discharge of the ovum and the beginning of the next menstruation (i. e. the end of the relevant cycle) remains at the practically constant figure of fourteen days.

(12) The ovum is only capable of being fertilised within twenty-four hours of ovulation (allow, say forty-eight hours for reason given below).

(0) The male sperm does not retain fertility for more than forty-eight hours (allow, say seventy-two hours for purposes of this invention owing to possible doubt in determining date of commencement of menstruation, if it be near midnight).

It should be understood that the menstrual cycle for any particular individual is seldom absolutely constant in length, although twenty-eight days may be regarded as a usual or average period of the cycle.

Consequently before using the calculating device, the individual concerned should keep a diary or calendar carefully for at least six months, noting the dates of commencement of menstruation, and thus arriving at the number of days in the shortest and longest menstrual cycles experienced, e. g. 26 to 30 days respectively. It may therefore be appreciated that during any given cycle, whilst the date on which it commenced would be known except perhaps when it occurred near midnight, the date of its end would be unknown. It follows from (a) above that the precise date of ovulation in that cycle would be unknown.

However, it follows from (a) (b) and (0) above that the conceivable time of three days i. e. twenty-four plus forty-eight hours, may for practical purposes be regarded as much as five days, the day of ovulation, seventy-two hours before it and twenty-four hours after it.

A calculating device in accordance with the present invention in its broadest aspect comprises parts adapted to be set with reference to the date of commencement of the current cycle, so as to indicate clearly the conceivable time during that cycle, the device by means of indicator evices allowing automatically for any probable variations in the length of the cycle.

From a more constructional aspect the device comprises a time table, forming a kind of calendar, and two indicafor devices adapted to be used in conjunction with each other and the time table to indicate clearly thereon or thereby the conceivable time.

The two indicator devices are adapted to be used so e CC as to make allowance for the shortest and longest cycles experienced and in one form of the device hereinafter described, when properly set indicate the conceivable time by covering over a number of days shown on the time table, so that the dates concerned on the part of the table to be consulated are invisible, or at least between the two relatively most remote edges of the indicator devices.

in another, and preferred form, the indicator devices are adapted to cover over all other days of the time table, so that the conceivable time is left uncovered and only the dates therein are therefore visible.

in order that the invention may be fully understood two practical forms of calculating device embodying the same will now be described, by way of example but not of limitation.

These are generally in circular disc shape and comprise a base disc, 21 time table disc rotatable upon the base disc about a central pivot, and two indicating devices also adapted to be rotatable about the central pivot. Spacing discs, preferably transparent and smooth surfaced may, if desired, be interposed between the various parts to prevent any likelihood, when setting one part by rotation thereof of disturbing by friction the setting of another part or parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate these two forms in a very similar manner, Figs. 1 to 5 showing a first form and Figs. 6 to 10 a second and preferred form.

in the acompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a time table disc adapted to deal with cycles commencing in the first six months of the year, January to June inclusive. By making the disc of larger diameter (say 9 inches less inch) it can deal similarly with the whole twelve months, or a similar set of parts viz. time table disc and two indicating devices mounted at the back of the base disc can deal similarly with the second six months without increasing the diameter.

Fig. 2 shows a sectorial indicator device adapted when set to allow automatically for the shortest cycle,

Fig. 3 shows a similar indicator device for the longest cycle,

Fig. 4 shows a base disc upon which the time table disc and indicator devices are pivot-ally mounted for rotational setting, and

Fig. 5 is a view, with the time table disc partly broken away to simplify illustration, of the complete assembly forming the calculating device, this shows the device set to indicate a conceivable time as hereinafter described;

Fig. 6 shows a base disc of the second and preferred form of the device,

Fig. 7 shows the time table disc, to be pivotally mounted thereon for rotation,

Fig. 8 shows an indicator device to allow for the shortest cycle, to be mounted above the other indicator device, and adapted to complete the time table by naming the relevant principal months, and

Fig. 9 shows an indicator device to allow for the longest cycle.

Fig. 10 is a front view of the assembled calculating device showing it set to indicate in accordance with the invention a conceivable time as hereinafter described. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5:

The time table disc 1 (see Fig. i) has its central portion 2 left blank (say 2 /2 inches diameter), and the remainder (to about 5 /2 inches diameter) is appropriately divided as shown and above-mentioned to deal with menstrual cycles commencing in the months January to June inclusive, the respective months and the dates therein being indicated between concentric circles, while fifty-six evenly spaced radial lines form equal sized circumferential spaces each of which represents one day, the dates being printed in spaces formed by the preferably non-continuous radial lines and an adjacent pair of concentric circles as shown.

There may be only one continuous radial line to indicate the start of the first day of each principal month (full month) shown on the time table disc, but as shown there are two such lines bordering a blank daily space, which if necessary may be regarded as representing the date following that shown in the relevant supplementary month to its left e. g. as February 25.

To deal with cycles commencing near the end of each principal month e. g. January, it is necessary to mark adjacently a certain number of dates of the succeeding or supplementary month e. g. February (say 24, and with the blank space 25, making 56 days in the ring, which are usually sufficient). It is, however, not intended to exclude the employment of more than 56 equally spaced radial lines if it be desired to deal with exceptionally longcycles.

Conveniently the name and/ or dates of each principal (or full month) may be printed in a more conspicuous colour such as red, to distinguish them from those of each supplementary or succeeding month printed in black.

Where the principal month is February naturally the dates thereof would run 1 to 28, allowing for a further 27 dates of the supplementary month March in the same ring plus the blank space shown. Allowance can, however, obviously be made for leap year without altering the dates, by regarding 1st March in the same ring as 29 February, 2nd March as 1st March and so on.

Still regarding Fig. 1, the time table disc 1 may conveniently be formed with a projection 3 to aid rotation thereof by hand, relative to the base disc, when setting it to the date of commencement of the current cycle. It is shown centrally pierced at 4 to accommodate a pivot pin or bolt 5 (Fig. 5).

Fig. 2 shows a sectorial indicator device 6 with a circular central portion 7 centrally pierced at 8 for the pivot pin 5, and having an outwardly projecting setting-tongue A adapted to cover a daily space marked on the base disc. The sectorial portion 6 is adapted to cover widthwise five daily spaces of the time table, above which it is mounted; and the tongue A is so formed or mounted on the portion 6 that a space of one day anti-clockwise or after is covered and a space of three days clockwise or before. This device may be set to allow automatically for the shortest cycle.

Fig. 3 shows a similar sectorial indicating device with an outwardly projecting tongue B by which it can be set appropriately to allow automatically for the longest cycle.

The important or indicating edges of the indicators are shown by double lines at 9 and 10 respectively, and it is really unimportant which indicator be mounted above the other.

The base disc 11 (Figs. 4 and 5), shown pierced at 12 for a central pivot 5, and on which the time table disc 1 and indicator devices 6 are pivotally mounted serves 'for setting the other parts and is conveniently about threeeighths of an inch larger in diameter than the time table 1, so that a circumferential ring thereof is normally visible. All or part of this ring is marked out in spaces each representing one day by extending all or some of the radial lines of the time table 1. The first of these spaces, marked 13 in Figs. 4 and 5, may be coloured or inked to distinguish it, and five adjacent spaces to right thereof are left blank. The next nineteen daily spaces on the base disc 11 bear the numbers 21 to 39 inclusive. The outwardly projecting tongues A and B of the sectorial indicating devices 6 'are adapted to register respectively over any one of these spaces.

The central pivot 5 may conveniently consist of a threaded bolt with one or more nuts and appropriate washers to enable the parts to be assembled and held together rotatably, but any mechanical arrangement achieving similar results may be utilised.

illustrated it is necessary to know as hereinbefore indicated,

the date (day and month) of commencement of the present menstrual cycle, and the shortest and longest cycles experienced by the individual over a fairly long period of time (the average length of the cycle would not sulfice).

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the base disc 11 and time table disc 1 are then rotated relatively by aid of the projection 3 until the lines at the edges of the distinguished space 13 on the former register with the radial lines at the periphery of the time table 1 which correspond with or form parts of interrupted radial lines enclosing the date, e. g. 1 June, of commencement of the cycle.

The indicating'devices are then set with their tongues A and B respectively over figures on the base disc, e. g. 26 and 3t), representing the number of days in the shortest and longest cycles respectively experienced, and it will be found that the dates (e. g. 9th to 17th June inclusive) in the table covering the conceivable time are covered by the sectorial indicators, or if the sectorial portions 6 do not overlap are at least between the most remote edges thereof indicated by double lines at 9 and it and the dates, e. g. 8th and 18th June, immediately before and after that time of the relevant month appear adjacent said edges. Fig. 5 shows the device giving the conceivable time as exemplified above.

Of course if the sectorial portions 6 be made of transparent material, all the dates would be visible, and the most remote edges would bear fairly thick lines so that the dates in the conceivable time could be seen between said lines, and those immediately before and after that time appear outside the area enclosed by said lines.

To enable the various months and dates therein to be clearly distinguished, some of the months and their respective dates may be printed in one colour say red, and others in black.

The discs and/or sectorial devices may be made of any appropriate materials such for example as thick paper, cardboard, Celluloid or plastics, and extra spacing or protective discs may be mounted over or between them. Naturally any protective disc not over the central blank portion should be transparent. Cardboard suitably surfaced has advantages from the viewpoint of easy printing thereon, and may be protected or kept clean by one or more superimposed or interposed discs of transparent material such as Celluloid.

' As explained in the general description of Fig. 1, a similar time table disc 1 and other parts mounted at the back of the base disc 11, can deal similarly with the second six months of the year, July to December inclusive.

Alternatively the time table disc may be made of larger diameter (say 9 inches less inch in diameter) to show similarly all twelve principal complete months and their supplementary part months, the other parts including the base disc and indicator devices also being increased appropriately in size, so that all calculations may be done by devices on the front of the base disc. Such a calculating device in practice would be somwhat less convenient to keep and carry about than that of smaller diameter which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5.

Obviously many other variations could be made in construction and manner of use without departure from the invention, and reference is now directed more particularly to Figs. 6 to l0 which illustrate a second and preferred form of the device.

While this form also comprises a base disc, a time table disc and two indicator devices all independently rotatable with respect to the base disc about a central pivot, the construction and operation of the parts difier as is apparent from the drawings and will now be made clearer. Notably this form can conveniently be made substantially smaller in size and with less printing or writing thereon.

Fig. 6 shows a base disc 14 (say about four and five eighths inches in diameter) having two circumferential rings partly divided by radial lines into equal sized spaces, each representing one day, and if all the equally spaced radial lines were shown there would be fifty-six radial lines and daily spaces in each ring. As illustrated the inner ring on the base disc 14 has a distinguished space 15, distinguished in the drawing (as was spaced 13 in Fig. 4) by thicker radial lines, but which in practice may be more clearly distinguished by inking or colouring it. A space in the inner ring equal to seven daily spaces anti-clockwise or to the right of the space bears the words Longest Cycle say in red, the next nineteen daily spaces to the right bear the numbers 21-39 printed in them say in red (to distinguish them from figures in the outer ring, and adjacent date figures in a ring at the periphery of the time table disc hereinafter mentioned, both of which sets may be printed in black). In the outer ring of the base disc 14, bearing the words Shortest Cycle in black, the numbers 21-39 are printed in daily spaces marked by radial lines, the daily space marked 21 being offset by a blank space equal to one day from the distinguished space 15; it will be noted that the space numbered 21 in the inner ring is directly within the space numbered 27in the outer ring, inner ring space numbered 22 is radially directly within outer ring space numbered 28, and so on.

Fig. 7 shows a simplified time table disc 16 the central portion of which is conveniently left blank and the remainder appropriately divided e. g. by six concentric circles into four functional rings as shown. The outermost of these rings bears the word Date and thirty-one daily spaces formed by radial lines, such spaces bearing the numbers 1 to 31 inclusive anti-clockwise. The diameter of the disc 16 is approximately the same as that of the innermost circle on the base disc 14, so that any one of the thirty-one date spaces can be easily brought into register with the distinguished space 15. For this purpose the disc 16 conveniently has a projection 17 by which it can be rotated by hand relative to the base disc 14 about a central pivot 5. There is shown a spacing ring 18, before the next functional ring inwards which is adapted to serve for each principal month having thirtyone days and for twenty-five days of a succeeding month, this functional ring is divided as shown by fifty-six evenly spaced radial lines into daily spaces, which are numbered as shown 1 to 31 say in red and 1 to say in black. The next functional ring inwards is adapted to serve for the principal month February having twenty-eight daily spaces numbered 1 to 28 say in red, and the next twentyeight spaces numbered say in black for the supplementary part of March. The innermost ring is adapted to serve for each of the four principal months having thirty days and the supplementary parts of the succeeding months, having its fifty-six daily spaces numbered 1 to say in red and 1 to 26 say in black. It will be noted that the radial line 19 at the left hand or starting edge of the V first days of the principal months is shown thicker than the other radial lines, and that it is radially in line with that at the start of the daily space bearing the date l in the Date circle.

Fig. 8 shows an indicator device adapted to allow for the shortest cycle when set with its projection A (printed in black) over the space bearing the appropriate figure in the ring marked Shortest Cycle. This conveniently has a missing segment such as would leave visible eighteen consecutive daily spaces in the three functional rings (it might be made to leave visible more daily spaces without altering the answer to the calculation), the inner edge of said missing segment being indicated by the thick curved line 20. This indicator is intended to be mounted on top of the other one so that its outer surface is visible, and can be used to complete the time table disc by bearing the names of the principal months and lines linking such names to the appropriate functional rings of the latter, as may be seen in Fig. 10.

Fig. 9 shows the outline of an appropriate indicator device to allow for the longest cycle when set with its projection B (printed in red) over the space bearing the appropriate figure (printed in red) in the ring marked Longest Cycle on the base disc 16. Conveniently this device has a missing segment bordered by a semi-circle 21, so that it could, by itself, leave visible twenty-eight daily spaces of the time table.

Fig. 10 shows the complete indicating device assembled and indicating a conceivable time as exemplified below.

In this form of device, say the current cycle commenced on the 26th July, the shortest cycle was twentytwo days and the longest cycle was twenty-six days.

The base disc 14 and the time table disc 16 are first rotated relatively by aid of projection 17 until the lines at the edges of the space marked 15 register with the radial lines on each side of the space numbered 26 in the ring marked Date on disc 16.

The projecting tongue A of the upper indicating device is then set over the space numbered 22 in the Shortest Cycle ring, and the other indicating device is set with its projecting tongue B over the space numbered 26 in the Longest Cycle ring. The conceivable time (remaining visible) is then indicated by the time table disc in the outer ring of the three inner functional rings to which the July is linked, between the straight inner edge of the indicator A and the straight inner edge of the other indicator B. The dates revealed in the gap between indicator tongues A and B are from 30 July (say in red) to 7th August (say in black), it would, however, be obvious that lowish numbers would apply to the succeeding or supplementary month when the date of the commencement of the cycle was near the end of a month, so that it is not essential to mark the dates of principal and supplementary months in distinctive colours.

Of course, if the date of commencement of the current cycle be near the beginning of a principal month e. g. on the first day, the indicating device would indicate the conceivable time to be in that principal month, no dates in the supplementary month being left visible.

This form of device, like that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 may be made of any appropriate materials, and twentyseven thousandths thick opaque white polished matt ivorine (a type of plastic) has been found suitable.

Obviously many other variations in construction and manner of use could be made without departure from the invention. Each of the many forms the improved calculating device may have, should be adapted to take the relevant factors into account so as to indicate on or by means of an appropriately arranged time table, forming a part or parts thereof, that may for example be rectangular instead of circular, the conceivable period.

For convenience a calculating device in accordance with this invention and instructions for its use, may be accommodated in a sheath, envelope or folder which may be rectangular.

From the physiological aspect it may be remarked that if the cycles experienced be very irregular owing to illness, childbirth or other causes, the calculating device cannot and should not be expected to give reliable results.

I claim:

1. A calculating device of the character described generally in circular disc shape, comprising a time table disc divided into equal spaces by radial lines, the space between each adjacent pair of radial lines representing one day, and further divided by pairs of circular lines thus forming daily spaces, dates inserted in said daily spaces, there being at least one ring between an adjacent pair of circular lines containing the dates 1 to 31 followed by other dates 1 to at least 24, one ring of spaces containing the dates 1 to at least 27, followed by other dates 1 to 28, and at least one ring containing the dates 1 to 30 followed by other dates 1 to at least 25, each such ring comprising 56 daily spaces, and a base disc onto which some adjacent lines of the said radial lines are extended to form areaeca similar circumferential daily spaces on the base disc'o'ne of, said spaces being'marked distinguishably, the time table disc being settable with the date of commencement of the current cycle radially in register with said distinguishable space.

- 2. A device as in claim 1 having on the base disc the five daily spaces anti-clockwise from the distinguishable space left blank, and the immediately following spaces numbered 21 to 39, two settable indicator devices, a setting projection forming part of each indicator enabling said setting projection of one indicator to be set over the figure for the shortest cycle and the similar projection on the other indicator to be set over the figure for the longest cycle.

3. A calculating device as in claim 1, said radial lines which form daily spaces on the base disc being divided by a circle into two rings of spaces, the outer of said rings for the shortest cycle bearing the number 21 ofiset one daily space anti-clockwise from said distinguishably marked space, and the inner of said rings for the longest cycle being more ofiset so that it bears the number 21 radially directly within the number 27 of the shortest cycle, each of said rings bearing the numbers 21 to 39 consecutively anti-clockwise, and said indicator devices when the device is set as prescribed covering over all dates of the relevant month or months except those during theconceivable time.

4. A device for the purpose specified'comprising a base disc, a time table disc and two indicator devices, a central pivot about which said parts can be set with respect to one another by relative rotation, the said time table disc being divided by radial and circular lines into a number of daily spaces in several rings representing different dates, and each indicator being of a width to cover a period of five days in each ring of daily spaces, a projection on each indicator of a width to cover one daily space on the base disc, and each indicator being olfset to cover three daily spaces on one side of its setting projection and only one day on the other side.

5. A calculating device of the character described gen erally in circular disc shape, comprising a time table disc and two indicator devices all independently rotatable with respect to the base disc about a central pivot, radial lines dividing part of said time table into equal spaces, the space between each pair of radial lines representing one day, the said time table being further divided by circular lines thus forming at least three concentric rings of daily spaces, at least one of said rings containing the dates 1 to 31, one of said rings containing the dates 1 to 28 and at least one of said rings containing the dates 1 to 30, each set of said'dates being in sequence counterclockwise in adjacent spaces thu's presenting all the dates of each principal month of a normal year followed in each ring of daily spaces by other'dates of the succeeding month, preferably at least 24 such other dates being in each ring, each such ring preferably comprising at least 5 6 daily spaces, the device also bearing the name of each calendar month associated with a set of dates normally in the principal month so named, some at least of said radial lines being extended on to the base disc of larger diameter than the time table forming a distinguishable space for setting the time table relatively 'to the base disc and also forming a numbered scale with respect to which the said indicator devices are set respectively to make allowance for the shortest and longest cycles.

6. A calculating device as defined in claim 5, wherein the indicator device for the shortest cycle comprises a setting projection settable over a number in the scale on the base disc representing the number of days in the shortest cycle, and the indicator device for the longest cycle has a similar projection set-table over a number in the same scale representing the number of days in the longest cycle, and said indicator devices each comprise parts offset from said projections of a width to cover over five daily spaces in the time table, the conceivable time being indicated by the dates adjacent the most remote edges of the two indicator devices.

7. A calculating device as defined in claim 5, wherein said numbered scale on the base disc comprises two separate concentric rings of numbered spaces on the base disc, and the indicating edge of each indicator device produced forms the inner side of a setting projection forming part of said indicator, the numbers in said two rings being offset with respect to one another and each of said setting projections being of a lengthto co-operate each with its own ring of numbers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,219 Brandao May 30, 1944 2,476,408 Fisher July 19, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 152,275 Austria Jan. 25. 193 

